Wife dies 2 days after husband jailed for 2 years

Was it shock?

The Dorwish family of Queenstown village on the Essequibo Coast was given a rude awakening on Mother’s Day morning after they got a call that their mother was no longer alive after experiencing a shock when her husband was sentenced to two years for the possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition.

Dead is Geeta Dorwish, also called “Saroj”, who unfortunately lost her life at her sister’s residence in Georgetown on Mother’s Day morning. According to the dead woman’s son, Deon Dorwish, his mother ‘took on’ the sentencing of his father.

The son related that his mother and father were “very close” and she could not stand the news that her husband was jailed.

“My mother’s death came as a surprise; she was a confident woman who could withstand anything. I never saw the weakness in my mom, she had confidence that my father would (not be jailed) …if my father wasn’t sentenced, my mother would have still been alive,” Deon Dorwish lamented.

The distraught son said it was the saddest news he could have heard on Mother’s Day. He also explained that his mother was recovering from a surgery performed two weeks ago and was suffering from both hypertension and ‘high sugar’ levels.

In the circumstances, Deon added that the family would be most happy if his father would be pardoned for the offence given his age.

Sixty-four-year-old Dennis Dorwish was on Friday, May 6, sentenced to two years’ imprisonment after he was found guilty of possession of a firearm and ammunition. Dorwish made his first appearance in 2015 before Magistrate Sunil Scarce and was remanded. However, he was later released.

Police had alleged that on February 10, 2015, Dorwish had in his  possession a .22 firearm although he was not a licensed firearm owner.

Police also alleged that on February 10, 2015, Dorwish had in his possession 3 live .22 ammunition without being the holder of a firearm licence. The firearm and ammunition were found in the backlands of Queenstown where Dorwish has an “awara” farm.

To both charges, the well-known labourer had pleaded not guilty. In making an application for bail for Dorwish, Attorney-at-Law Lachmie Dindyal told the court that the defendant was not a flight risk, as he was happily married and a father of four. Dindyal had told the court that Dorwish was well-known and had a permanent place of residence. The lawyer went on to tell the Magistrate that Dorwish had no knowledge of the firearm or the ammunition that were found near some “awara” bushes in the backlands of Queenstown Village.

The Attorney had informed the court the firearm that was found by Dorwish was a mere “pen gun” and did not have a trigger.

The Magistrate, however, had said that whether it had a trigger or not, the weapon was a firearm and it was illegal to have one without a licence. The then Prosecutor Haimraj Ramsewack had objected to bail, stating that the offence was a serious one.

During the course of the case, the family changed attorneys, retaining Peter Hugh. Several Police Officers testified in the matter and Magistrate Scarce found the defendant guilty of the offence.

Defence Attorney Hugh had subsequently sent another lawyer to take over since he was recently promoted to Magistrate. The family is, therefore, calling for a thorough investigation to be launched into the matter, and is calling on President David Granger to pardon their father since he is not guilty of the offence, and also the gun and ammunition were not found on him, but on a farm.